offertory
Americannoun
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offertories
plural
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(sometimes initial capital letter) the offering of the unconsecrated elements that is made to God by the celebrant in a Eucharistic service.
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Ecclesiastical.
noun
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the oblation of the bread and wine at the Eucharist
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the offerings of the worshippers at this service
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the prayers said or sung while the worshippers' offerings are being received
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of offertory
1350–1400; Middle English offertorie < Medieval Latin offertōrium place to which offerings are brought, offering, oblation, equivalent to Latin offer ( re ) ( see offer) + -tōrium -tory 2; cf. oblation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As the priest then began the offertory portion of the liturgy, which often is accompanied by quiet music, the organist played a reflective piece very slowly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
Whidden, a tenor, sang an offertory song titled “The Anchor Holds.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 12, 2025
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales also says there should be no offertory procession or collection, and parishioners should be encouraged to give online instead.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2020
Banks forked over more than $7 billion when Justice passed the offertory plate, but Quicken fought back.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 26, 2019
I watched them as they came up for offertory.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Piano voluntaries, preludes, offertories, and postludes for religious services and Sunday schools. © 30Jul28; A1084933.
From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1955 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office
How well they all sang—how beautiful was the service of those young voices, and what praises were showered upon them for their work by the congregation for their anthems, chants, hymns and offertories!
From Sixty Years of California Song by Margaret Blake Alverson
Among his greater works are ninety-three masses, a very large number of motettes, forty-five hymns for the whole year, sixty-eight offertories, and a large number of litanies, magnificats and madrigals.
From A Popular History of the Art of Music From the Earliest Times Until the Present by W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews
"I know he can write, for he signed a petition to uncle in favour of more frequent offertories in aid of the poor and needy," George muttered.
From A Drake by George! by John Trevena
I take great exception to your statement that the offertories both in the morning and in the evening were sent by me to Father Rowley regardless of the wishes of my parishioners.
From The Altar Steps by Compton MacKenzie
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